Round one of the NRL 2018 season feature James Tedesco and Ben Hunt facing their former clubs
EXCLUSIVE DAVID RICCIO, The Sunday Telegraph
24 minutes ago
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TEDDY v the Tigers. Benny v the Broncos.
James Tedesco and Ben Hunt, the most high-profile NRL recruits of 2018, have been gifted with a first round shot at sweet revenge.
A marketing dream for the NRL and ratings winner for Fox Sports, Tedesco will launch his Sydney Roosters career against his former club, the Wests Tigers, on Saturday afternoon, March 10, at ANZ Stadium.
The clash will also feature the Tigers club debut of Dogs defector Josh Reynolds.
The Sunday Telegraph has exclusively obtained every match-up for the opening round of the 2018 season.
The entire draw will be released by the NRL this week. And Tedesco’s much-anticipated tussle with the Tigers — the club he spent six years with — won’t be the only first round crowd-puller.
Round one of the 2018 NRL season is set to go off.
Highlights from round one include:
* Hunt wearing the famous Red V of St George Illawarra in a first-up clash with former club Brisbane at Kogarah;
* The Knights debut of rising star fullback Kayln Ponga against Manly’s Tom Trbojevic at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle;
* North Queensland hosting Cronulla, a first-up rematch after the Cowboys controversially eliminated the Sharks from this year’s finals series;
* A Perth Stadium double-header on Saturday to mark the coaching debut of South Sydney’s Anthony Seibold against the Warriors and Canterbury’s new coach Dean Pay against premiers Melbourne;
* A Western Sydney derby between the Panthers and Eels on a Sunday afternoon at Penrith;
* Ricky Stuart’s Raiders travelling to the Gold Coast to tackle the Titans and their soon to be appointed coach.
Roosters fans will be eager to see James Tedesco in their colours. Photo: Mark Evans
St George Illawarra will officially launch the 2018 season at Kogarah against the Broncos on Thursday night, March 8.
The clash is loaded with headlines and salivating subplots, including former Canterbury captain James Graham’s debut with the Dragons against his current World Cup coach for England, Wayne Bennett.
The season-opener will also pit $1 million Broncos recruit and former Sharks centre Jack Bird against the Dragons — where he played his junior football.
But nothing excites Dragons fans about next year more than the arrival from Brisbane of halfback Hunt, who will partner Gareth Widdop in the halves.
Widdop and Hunt, who will feature in the World Cup for England and Australia respectively, will be tasked with returning the Dragons to the finals.
Daley out of Titans race
The new-look Knights will host the Friday 6pm timeslot against Manly.
Optimistic Newcastle fans will be eager to catch a first glimpse of high-profile recruits Ponga, Aidan Guerra, Chris Heighington, Jacob Lillyman, Connor Watson and Tautau Moga.
Bulldogs fans will need to take the trip west to Perth to experience the club debut of Kiwi Test half Kieran Foran and Kangaroos prop Aaron Woods.
Canterbury will tackle premiers Melbourne in the opening-round double-header clash to be held at the $1 billion Perth Stadium.
The clash will also feature an initiation of fire for rookie Dogs coach Dean Pay — up against premiership-winning Storm coach Craig Bellamy.
Originally published as
Round one rivalries for NRL 2018
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...s/news-story/146af593c67fd66b22129a51f137e03c
